coltishness

English

Etymology

coltish +‎ -ness

Noun

coltishness (uncountable)

1. The quality of resembling a colt, especially:
   1. The quality of being lively, playful and undisciplined.

      Synonyms: abandon, exuberance, friskiness, spirit, spiritedness

      • 1839, George Greenwood, Hints on Horsemanship, to a Nephew and Niece; or, Common Sense and Common Errors in Common Riding, London: Edward Moxon, p. 94,^[1]

        The grand thing is to get rid of dogged sulks and coltishness—of that wayward, swerving, hesitating gait, which says, “Here’s my foot, and there’s my foot,” or “There is a lion in the street, I cannot go forth!”

      • 1915, Ethel M. Dell, The Keeper of the Door, New York: A. L. Burt, Chapter 12, p. 396,^[2]

        “He hasn’t learned the art of taking it gracefully,” said the Major. “But he shouldn’t show temper. It’s a sign of coltishness that I don’t care for.”

        “Ah, well, he’s young,” said Daisy, with a sigh. “He’ll get over that.”

      • 1927, Sinclair Lewis, Elmer Gantry, London: Jonathan Cape, 1930, Chapter 12, p. 209,^[3]

        But the day of halcyon October sun was too serene even for his coltishness and sedately they tramped up the hill, swinging their joined hands;

      • 1973, Nelson Algren, “Hand in Hand Through the Greenery” in The Last Carousel, New York: Seven Stories Press, p. 76,^[4]

        The younger literary generation has come on the run because it’s cold out there. The sobriety, and lack of coltishness, constitute their qualifications for reporting fashions or sports; or teaching “Creative Writing” on another campus. They bespeak a readiness to be cowed in return for a stall in the Establishment barn; at whatever cost in originality.

   2. The quality of being tall, thin and awkward (usually of a young person).

      Synonym: gangliness

      • 1916, Sheila Kaye-Smith, Sussex Gorse, London: Cassell, 1922, Prologue, p. 19,^[5]

        Though only a year younger than Reuben, in the midst of the awkward age, his growing limbs quite lacked the coltishness of his brother’s.

      • 1952, Agatha Christie (as Mary Westmacott), A Daughter’s a Daughter, New York: Dell, 1976, Book 2, Chapter 1, p. 111,^[6]

        Laura Whitstable was struck by her beauty. The awkward touch of coltishness had gone, she was now a remarkably attractive young woman, with a quite unusual loveliness of face and form.

      • 1982, Liza Cody, Bad Company, New York: Scribner, Chapter 3, p. 21,^[7]

        The hair was young, but the style was mature, and there was no hint of immaturity in the body. Claire, though small, was in perfect proportion without a trace of either coltishness or puppy-fat.